(Above: Featured actors in The Shedd’s production of “Roberta” include, left to right, Judith “Sparky” Roberts, Claire Kepple, Jim Ballard, Dylan Stasack, Clarae Smith, Adam Kelly, and Caitlin Christopher; photo courtesy of The Shedd)

By Anne-Allegra Bennett

In its tradition of giving new life to musicals from the heyday of the Golden Age, Shedd Theatricals kicks off its 17th season with Roberta.

Based on Alice Duer Miller’s 1933 novel, Gowns by Roberta, the stage adaptation features book and lyrics written by Otto Harbach, and music by the great American composer Jerome Kern. Recognized as one of the early 20th century’s most influential composers, Kern wrote more than 700 songs that were featured in dozens of stage productions and Hollywood films. In collaboration with Harbach, the show’s score features such songs as “Smoke Gets In Your Eyes,” “Yesterdays,” “Let’s Begin,” “You’re Devastating,” and “The Touch of Your Hand.”

With comedy, romance, and royalty in disguise, Roberta is full of entertaining characters and great music. John Kent, an All-American fullback, travels to Paris with his friends Huck and Billie and their band to visit his Aunt Minnie. When Aunt Minnie dies unexpectedly, John suddenly finds himself as the owner of her Parisian haute couture dress shop, Gowns by Roberta. His socialite girlfriend Sophie left him prior to his departure, and John asks Minnie’s beautiful assistant Stephanie (really a Russian princess) to help run the shop as partners. Not knowing her true identity, the two fall in love, and their romance is almost torn apart when Sophie returns to try and win John back.

The songs “I Won’t Dance” and “Lovely to Look At” were added to the film of the same name made in 1935, and as they became quite popular, they are often used in current revivals of the show and on recordings. The film starred Randolph Scott, Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, and Ginger Rogers.

The Shedd’s production features Adam Kelly (John Kent), Claire Kepple (Stephanie), Dylan Stasack (Huck Haines), Clarae Smith (Sophie Teale), Caitlin Christopher (Mme. Nunez Scharwenka) and Judith Roberts (Aunt Minnie/Roberta).

The cast also includes Matthew Leach, Bradyn Debysingh, Jim Ballard, Cyra Conforth, Sophia James, Lyn Burg, Kenady Conforth, Johanna Gilbert, Abigail Howell, Madeleine Sisson, MacKenzie NesSmith, and Oshen Parris-Austin.

Peg Major directs, and Robert Ashens is music director and conductor, with choreography by Caitlin Christopher, and costumes by Jamie Parker.

 

Roberta

When: 7:30 p.m. on Friday-Saturday, June 8-9, 15-16; 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 10, 17.

Where: Jaqua Concert Hall, The Shedd Institute for the Arts, 868 High Street in downtown Eugene

Tickets: $24-$36 (some discounts available), available at the box office, 541-434-7000, or online at theshedd.org; meals are served before evening performances and after matinees, by reservation

 

Caitlin Christopher and Dylan Stasack play Mme. Nunez Scharwenka and Huck Hainsworth in The Shedd Institute for the Arts’ production of “Roberta;” photo courtesy of The Shedd